Granma's Ginger Biscuits

One of my favourite memories from childhood is coming home from school when it was cold and wet and my mother had been baking. As we came in out of the rain and dried off in front of the heater, the room was steamy from our wet clothes and other clothes drying on the airer and there would be the delicious aroma of warm, freshly baked biscuits.

It makes quite a sticky dough

This recipe is one my Granma passed on to my mother and is treasured all the more because of the memories it engenders of Granma. It is similar to gingerbread in many ways, soft, chewy, spicy biscuits, perfect to warm you in every way on a cold winter's day. Just be careful not to overcook them or they will quickly become hard - although 5 seconds in the microwave does wonders to soften them up, or you can dunk them in your cuppa!

GRANMA'S GINGER BISCUITS

Roll the dough into logs

Ingredients: (metric)

225g golden syrup or honey 

2 ½ cups plain flour

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger (I used 2tsp this time - it was quite spicy, but tasted great!)

1 tsp mixed spice

(I also added 1 tsp cinnamon)

Method:

Cut rounds about 1cm thick 

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. You can start with a knife, but in the end, you just have to get your hands in and kneed it well. When it is completely mixed, roll portions into logs (not too long or they tend to squash down to nothing as you cut them). The logs are around 4 - 5 cm square. Using a well floured surface, slice off the biscuits at about 1cm intervals. Lay them on a tray lined with baking paper. Be sure they are well separated as they do grow substantially. 

Pop them in the (pre-heated) oven at cook for around 15 mins at 180° C, until just starting to change colour. As I said earlier, be careful not to overcook them as they will go rock hard!

Makes 30 - 35+ biscuits.

The finished product - especially delicious
when just out of the oven